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Dublin Cup blog: Encouraging start for the Brits

World class programmes manager Joanna Wray is with the British Gas GBR Men’s Water Polo team as they prepare for their Olympic appearance at the Dublin Cup.

We we up bright and early to prepare for our first match of the tournament against the Olympic champs from the last three Games, Hungary.

Q1: Sean King won the swim off to start and in our first attack, GB captain Craig Figes stepped up for a great goal, first goal on the board. That was quickly followed by a converted Hungarian attack to make it 1-1.

Brilliant goal for Jack Waller in CF to level the scores now at 2-2 before Hungary score from a man-up to take the lead again.

Now it’s our turn and we don’t let the opportunity go, a shot by Glen Robinson in man-up and Adam Scholefield pounced on the rebound and slammed it into the net to make it 3-3.

A wonder goal by GB, Joe O'Regan's long pass straight to Craig in CF, who flicks it straight past the Hungarian keeper with a defender on his back. At the end of the first quarter against the Olympic champions, the score is an excellent 4-4.

Q2: Ciaran James won the swim off and a good attack leads to a man-up - Ciaran stepped up but just missed past the post.

Hungary came back, got a man-up and don’t miss. Matt Holland made two great saves in goal where he was backed up by a solid defence - the boys were playing a nice, controlled match.

A great worked man-up saw another goal for GB in this quarter so we were 7-5 down before the Hungarians scored a lucky goal with a big deflection going past Matt to end the half 8-5.

Q3: Ed Scott replaced Matt in goal for the second half of the match. A great ball in from Alex Parsonage to Adam in CF led to a penalty that Craig took... it rattled the post and bar but eventually came back out.

Hungary scored a man-up and began playing a strong pressing game.

Cristian Iordache (Head Coach) calls a time-out on another British man-up and Ciaran is there this time with a bottom left corner goal, 10-6. We nearly ended with a flurry at the end but hit the post twice as time ran out for that quarter.

Q4: The Hungarians scored a glorious outside shot early in the final quarter and came on the attack again but Ed made a good save to deny them.

A brilliant counter left Jack with the goalie to beat and he converted to make the score 11-7.

It was our turn for a deflected goal - a nice outside shot by Adam took the score to 12-8 with two minutes left. A shot from Rob Parker hit the post with 20 seconds left but the match ended a very competitive 13-8.

Great Britain 8 - 13 Hungary

The next game was Romania v Montenegro. After Romania took an early lead, Montenegro crept back to equal the match 10-10. Romania won on penalties.

We were back in the evening for the first match of the session against European Champs runners-up from earlier this year, Montenegro.

Q1: in the first minute Montenegro got a penalty but Ed who started in goal this time took the save, let the ball out and Adam earned a penalty for GB. Craig stepped up and scored.

A blinding shot from outside by Montenegro levelled the game but a superb shot from Adam Scholefield after a 5m foul was a second goal for GB.

It was a back and forth free-flowing game with attack after attack. GB had two reverse shots from Jack that the Montenegro goalkeeper managed to get his hands to before they slotted one in to lead 3-2. They got one more past us before the end of the quarter, finishing it 4-2.

Q2: Ciaran won the swim off for a GB attack but their CB had a great game and we couldn’t get a ball in the centre. Montenegro were flying in this quarter and added two goals.

Craig did a great drive in to the centre, and back handed it right into the goal. Alex then swam the length of the pool and went for a cheeky lob into the far post – the half ended 8-4.

Q3: Montenegro started again and had a penalty in the first minute. Their number 3 just scored with Matt getting a hand to it but just failing to keep it out.

Great defence and goalkeeping from GB keeps another two shots out but an outside shot from Rob hit the post and went over.

An outside shot in the last 10 seconds narrowly slipped past Matt in goal to make it 12-5.

Q4: Again the quarter started with a penalty to Montenegro and the captain converts it.

A rare man-up to GB sees Ciaran absolutely fire it into the bottom left corner. Montenegro pressed hard and we were far out for any shots.

We did earn another man-up with some great play and Sean King whipped another one in to make the score 14-7. Another couple of goals at the end for Montenegro made the final score 16-7.